10 Excel formulas to make your life easier
Educational Program Technologies / / December 29, 2020
To apply any of the listed functions, put an equal sign in the cell where you want to see the result. Then enter the name of the formula (for example MIN or MAX), open the parentheses, and add the required arguments. Excel will tell you the syntax so you don't make a mistake.
Arguments are the data that the function works with. To add them, you need to select the appropriate cells or enter the required values in brackets manually.
There is also an alternative way to specify arguments. If you add empty parentheses after the function name and click on the Insert Function (fx) button, an entry window with additional prompts will appear. You can use it if you prefer.
1. MAX
- Syntax: = MAX (number1; [number2]; …).
The MAX formula displays the largest of the numbers in the selected cells. Arguments function both individual cells and ranges can appear. It is mandatory to enter only the first argument.
2. MIN
- Syntax: = MIN (number1; [number2]; …).
The MIN function is the opposite of the previous one: it displays the smallest number in the selected cells. The rest of the principle of operation is the same.
Reading now🔥
- How to download YouTube videos to any device
3. AVERAGE
- Syntax: = AVERAGE (number1; [number2]; …).
AVERAGE displays the arithmetic mean of all numbers in the selected cells. In other words, the function adds up the values specified by the user, divides the resulting sum by their number, and returns the result. Arguments can be single cells and ranges. For the function to work, you need to add at least one argument.
4. SUM
- Syntax: = SUM (number1; [number2]; …).
This simple yet highly requested function calculates the sum of the numbers in the selected cells. You can add both single values and ranges of cells. Only the first argument is required in a formula.
5. IF
- Syntax: = IF (logical_expression; value_if_true; [value_if_false]).
The IF formula tests whether a specified condition is met and, based on the result, displays one of two user-specified values. With its help it is convenient to compare data.
Any logical expression can be used as the first argument to the function. The second is the value that the table will display if this expression turns out to be true. And the third (optional) argument is the value that appears when the result is false. If you do not specify it, the word "false" is displayed.
6. SUMIF
- Syntax: = SUMIF (range; condition; [sum_range]).
Improved "SUM" function that adds only those numbers in the selected cells that meet a specified criterion. With its help, you can add numbers that, for example, are greater or less than a certain value. The first argument is the range of cells, the second is the condition under which elements will be selected from them for addition.
If you need calculate the amount numbers not in the range selected for testing, but in an adjacent column, select that column as the third argument. In this case, the function will add the numbers next to each cell that will pass the test.
7. SCORE
- Syntax: = COUNT (value1; [value2]; …).
This function counts the number of selected cells that contain numbers. Individual cells and ranges can be used as arguments. The function requires at least one argument to work. Be careful: "COUNT" takes into account cells with dates.
8. DAYS
- Syntax: = DAYS (end date; start date).
It's simple: the "DAYS" function displays the number of days between two dates. The arguments first add the trailing and then the starting date - if you mix them up, the result will be negative.
9. CORREL
- Syntax: = CORREL (range1; range2).
CORREL defines the correlation coefficient between two ranges of cells. In other words, the function calculates the statistical relationship between different data: dollar and ruble rates, expenses and profits, and so on. The more changes in one range coincide with changes in another, the higher the correlation. The maximum possible value is +1, the minimum is -1.
10. CONCEPT
- Syntax: = CONCEPT (text1; [text2]; …).
This function concatenates text from selected cells. Arguments can be either individual cells or ranges. The order of the text in the result cell depends on the order of the arguments. If you want the function to place spaces between text fragments, add them as arguments, as in screenshot above.
Read also📊📈
- 10 quick Excel tricks
- 4 techniques for analyzing data in Microsoft Excel
- 12 easy tricks to get things done faster in Excel
- How to recover files in Excel if you forgot to save them
- 3 Google Sheets features that Excel definitely doesn't have